Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy (Fan Fiction)

6: So Much Questing and So Much Love

We went straight into the next hut, which was bigger than the rest. A fire blazed in the middle, but it was confined to a small fire pit. Pacing in front of it was a short stubby man in purple, almost hot pink, clothes and a magenta top hat.

“Oh, don't tell me you four have problems as well!” the little man shouted. “First, I hear of monster sightings near the village, now this.  See those gears, people?  See them?  See how they're not moving?  That means our village has no power!  The Eco beam coming from the jungle temple has been interrupted! Everyone's too frightened to go and find out what's happened!”

Daxter grinned. “Did ya pay the bill?”

“Ya-hmm?  Ohhhh, you're funny.  Now look, if you two fix the Eco beam, I'll give you a Power Cell. And if by any chance you're interested in making a contribution to my re-election campaign, I might be willing to part with yet another Power Cell. The minimum contribution is, oh, a very modest... 90 Precursor Orbs.”

We exited the hut. “Was that the mayor?” I asked.

Daxter shrugged. “For now. But seriously, who’s gonna challenge him? Samos? The farmer? The farmer’s yakows? Keira? The bird lady? The sculptor?” Daxter started laughing. “Or… or…”

We walked into the next hut, where an old blond man stood, looking at some maps. Daxter fell to the floor, hysterical. “…this guy?”

An old man turned around. His head was bald except for a blond ring of hair around his ears. He looked slightly startled.

“Well hello there, my dear boy.  You've caught me at a most inopportune moment.  I was to set off on my journeys yesterday, but I seem to be a spot short on the old Precursor Orbs. But I gather that your young friend, you know, the little annoying miserably ugly one, might have just pilfered them as a sort of a spot of fun.

Anyway, would you be kind enough to loan your dear old uncle 90 Precursor Orbs so he can get underway? I would offer you a Power Cell in return.”

Daxter cleared his throat. “Uh, excuse me, Mr Hairy-Jak’s-Uncle,” he began, “do you think you could just give us a Power Cell anyway? I mean, we’re going on a big quest and we need Power Cells to get us on our way, so-”

“Well, see here!  The deal is 90 Precursor Orbs for a Power Cell, a downright even trade! Now leave me, so I can go over my travel plans a final time. One thousand is my lucky number, you know.”

Daxterette nodded. “Thank you very much, sir.” We left the hut and moved to the next hut.

“Hey, little furry dude!” the man in it said, pointing at Daxter, before sighing. He appeared to be a sculptor. “Oh, I thought for a moment you were my muse.”

He spotted Daxterette and sucked in a breath, but exhaled it quickly when he saw she was not a muse.

“Your… what?” Daxter cocked his head.

“Haven't you ever seen a Muse before?  It's a little glowin' squirrel about your size, full of spunk, and crazy as a lark!”

Suddenly a picture of a beautiful squirrel popped into my mind. It was emanating a candlelight yellow glow and the memory was accompanied by a chirping, chittering noise. I nodded. “I saw her, when I was… surviving… on Misty Island.”

Daxter’s eyes lit up with recognition. “Oh! Like a sidekick!” He inconspicuously pointed to Jak, who grinned slightly and shook his head.

“As a matter of fact, without my Muse, I just can't sculpt.  But with her around I see beauty in everything, you know? As Blondie here said -” - he gestured at me - “- I think she ran away to that Misty Island. I just hope she's alright.  It's worth a Power Cell if you bring her back to me!” He held out his arms for a moment, and then went back to staring at his huge boulder.